Screen refresh and chart lag: what a 60 Hz monitor can and can't show
Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2026 11:41 pm
A chart redraws when the platform tells it to, and a display shows a new frame at a fixed rate. On a standard 60 Hz monitor, that's every 16.7 milliseconds. Price updates arriving faster than that get batched.
For a swing trader this is irrelevant. For someone reacting to quick price moves, there's a sliver of delay between what's happening and what's visible, plus whatever delay the platform adds before drawing. On top of that, human reaction time is around 200 ms or more, which dwarfs the screen's contribution.
Still, there are real gains available. Chart rendering lag grows with heavy indicators, large history, and multiple charts. A high-refresh monitor and a dedicated graphics card help at the margin. Lowering chart "max bars" and disabling unnecessary visuals can make a platform feel more responsive.
Something worth noting: the visible price on a chart can lag the true price by a noticeable fraction of a second on some platforms, particularly web-based ones. That gap, not the monitor, is the larger factor.
How responsive does the chart feel during fast moves, and has any change made a visible difference?
For a swing trader this is irrelevant. For someone reacting to quick price moves, there's a sliver of delay between what's happening and what's visible, plus whatever delay the platform adds before drawing. On top of that, human reaction time is around 200 ms or more, which dwarfs the screen's contribution.
Still, there are real gains available. Chart rendering lag grows with heavy indicators, large history, and multiple charts. A high-refresh monitor and a dedicated graphics card help at the margin. Lowering chart "max bars" and disabling unnecessary visuals can make a platform feel more responsive.
Something worth noting: the visible price on a chart can lag the true price by a noticeable fraction of a second on some platforms, particularly web-based ones. That gap, not the monitor, is the larger factor.
How responsive does the chart feel during fast moves, and has any change made a visible difference?